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SN 12.63 Buddhist cartoon strip 1 of 4: Made any plans lately? (clarifies simile from MN 54 as well)



 


SN 12.63 pāḷi + english


The passage in SN 12.63 helps clarify one of the 7 similes for sensual pleasure in MN 54,

which uses the same simile of pit of hot coals.



§10.4 – (pit of glowing coals deeper than a man’s height)

pic for POJ
Seyyathāpi, gahapati, aṅgārakāsu sādhikaporisā, pūrā aṅgārānaṃ vītaccikānaṃ vītadhūmānaṃ.“Suppose there was a pit of glowing coals deeper than a man’s height, full of glowing coals that neither flamed nor smoked.“假设有一个深达一人多高的火坑，里面充满了没有火焰也没有烟的炽热炭火。
Atha puriso āgaccheyya jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo sukhakāmo dukkhapaṭikkūlo.Then a person would come along who wants to live and doesn’t want to die, who wants to be happy and recoils from pain.然后一个人走过来，他想活，不想死，他想快乐，回避痛苦。
Tamenaṃ dve balavanto purisā nānābāhāsu gahetvā aṅgārakāsuṃ upakaḍḍheyyuṃ.Then two strong men would grab them by the arms and drag them towards the pit of glowing coals.然后两个强壮的男人抓住他的手臂，把他拖向那个炽热的炭火坑。
Taṃ kiṃ maññasi, gahapati,What do you think, householder?你认为呢，居士？
api nu so puriso iticiticeva kāyaṃ sannāmeyyā”ti?Wouldn’t that person writhe and struggle to and fro?”那个人会不会痛苦地挣扎？”


“Evaṃ, bhante”.“Yes, sir.“是的，世尊。


“Taṃ kissa hetu”?Why is that?为什么会这样？


“Viditañhi, bhante, tassa purisassa imañcāhaṃ aṅgārakāsuṃ papatissāmi, tatonidānaṃ maraṇaṃ vā nigacchissāmi maraṇamattaṃ vā dukkhan”ti.For that person knows: ‘If I fall in that pit of glowing coals, that’d result in my death or deadly pain.’” …因为那个人知道：‘如果我掉进那个炽热的炭火坑，那会导致我的死亡或致命的痛苦。’”……
“Evameva kho, gahapati, ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
‘aṅgārakāsūpamā kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo’ti.
Evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya disvā … pe … tamevūpekkhaṃ bhāveti.


"not how I pictured today going..."

The caption I came up with for SN 12.63 
summarizes the Buddha's perverse humor in this simile.

Man obviously wants to live, be happy, not die and suffer a horrible death in a pit of fire.

Yet, the nutriment for mano-san-cetana, mental intention,

is what leads us to that horrible suffering!

We intend for happiness, but our intentions are the nutriment for suffering,

going exactly the opposite of our wishes.

That's why truly seeing this connection leads to understanding the 3 types of craving and realizing nirvana.


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